8.31.2014

We are back from another trip of a lifetime! My husband, daughter and I spent 2 weeks traveling around in the Swiss, Italian, and Austrian Alps... it was travel that reminded me why I work as hard as I do, and it made me feel 20 again. We spent everyday exploring, wondering, questioning, walking and EATING! The language was constantly changing and that engendered humorous and serious conversation as we fumbled our way through communications, learning the whole time!

In the spirit of my blog post after our trip to Iceland, I give you one photo a day of our journey in the Alps...

Day 1: Lucerne for lunch (on our way to Mürren).

In the evening, The Eiger from our porch. It pretty much rained the whole time we were in Mürren (which means we have to go back!) but the clouds cleared just long enough for me to get this shot with my phone.

Day 2: Mürren (yes, we had a hike in the rain)

Day 3: Driving to Ascona in Ticino... the little town of Visp had the best roofs! I fell in love with roofs, and shutters, and doors on this trip in a way I didn't know was possible.

Day 4: Bellinzona- aka 3 Castles in One Day

Day 5: Locarno- we renamed this area Switly, as it was like Italy, but in Switzerland, and we kept getting confused about what country we were in. It's the Swiss side of the Italian Lake District and the sunniest place we visited.

Day 6: Driving to Rovereto, Italy... we have relatives working at the University here and they are some of my favorite people to spend time with. We found a phenomenal Agriturismo farm, Maso Carpene for our stay, the hosts, David and Claudia are dear new friends... and Claudia's food was AMAZING! The View:

Day 10: Innsbruck... oh my I loved this little Austrian City. I'd love to go back in the winter and ski and spend my evenings in town.

Day 11: Driving to Zurich
No photos from this day... but the driving was glorious! (And fast and twisty, my honey does love a good mountain pass)

Day 12: Zurich
And GAH, no photos from today, it was rainy and I left my "camera" at home. We did go to a great old Button shop, called Keck.

Day 13: Zurich.. the last day. Oh my, what memories were made this last day in Switzerland. I met up with Coralie (from Geneva) and Fides and Gabby (who live in Heitzl, just outside Zurich) for an epic day. Coralie is an active member of my Ravelry group and The M-Club, and Fides and Gaby own a new Swiss yarn company called Siidegarte.

We started with lunch at Hiltlthe world's oldest vegetarian restaurant (really good!), and then walked and talked and browsed (and went yarn shopping)... then we went to Sprungli for coffee and sweets.

And then the best part... We took a ferry across the lake, drove up the mountain and ended in Hirzl, for Siidegarte's knit night. It was EPIC! I am honored that these 3 sweet women spent a day with me showing me their country.

The view from Gaby's house at sunset, their town, Hirzl is the town Johanna Spyri, the author of Heidi, was born in.

Coralie, working on her Magmatic MKAL.

Of course I didn't take photos as I was too busy shopping and chatting (and knitting), and making new friends, but I did bring home some yarn! All of Siidegarte's yarn is milled and dyed in Switzerland. The top yarn is Siide-Buschpar, a linen/silk DK, that is destined to be a lacy spring sweater. I can't wait to tuck into that design!.

8.17.2014

This is going to be one of those posts with LOTS of photos and a few words? You ready? It's time to show you Magia! This version in this first set is knit with Indigo Dragonfly's MerGoat Lace in Horton Hears a Houdini (a color Kim dyed especially for The M Club!).

With Clue #1 (the border) to the top!

With Clue #1 (the border) to the top!

With Clue #1 (the border) to the bottom!

With Clue #1 (the border) to the bottom!

With Clue #1 (the border) to the top!

Effortlessly wrapped around the neck!

My Original Magia blocking... the one shown on Ava above as one more repeat worked in the center panel, so it doesn't go "up" in the middle... but it has the same curve along the top border as the one in this photo. You can see another version of it blocking here.

This next version was inspired by my NEED for a black beaded lace shawl! In case I take up Flamenco dancing, or have a black tie event, or.... (this version is knit in Shibui Cima.)

I blocked this Magia straight along the top border of the shawl (clue 1)
I definitely had to coax it into this shape, but it acquiesced!

You might be wondering how we knit this crazypants MKAL, are you?

First a long strip was knit for Clue #1. In Clue #2, stitches were picked up along one edge, and the center ones were knit in a lace panel. Then in Clue #3 stitches were picked up along one edge of Clue #2 and put back on the needle from Clue #1 and a lace chart "filled" in the space in between Clues 1 and 2. The stitches were joined and decreased at each edge (just like doing the heel of a sock!). Then Clue #4 was a continuation of Clue #3. Finally, Clue #5 was a repeat of #3 and #4 on the other side of the shawl, and all the stitches were bound off with a beaded bind off.

Expect to see this construction from me again... it's way too fun! If you want to knit Magia the pattern is still available and there's lots of support (and a KAL) in my Ravelry group! There are lots of versions of Magia to see here.